Q. What’s going to happen with Nashville?
COMMISSIONER BETTMAN: What’s going to happen with Nashville? We have an application by the club for Craig Leipold to sell the Nashville Predators to Jim Balsillie. That is a process that requires us to do some more due diligence, even though we did some in Pittsburgh, we have more to do.
It will require a three-quarter approval by the Board of Governors in terms of whether or not Mr. Balsillie as an owner and this transaction should be approved.
The Predators have a lease that goes, I think, for another 14 years, give or take. There is a possibility that the lease could terminate in a year if certain things do or don’t happen. But as far as we’re concerned right now, Mr. Balsillie’s request for approval and the transaction related solely to him buying the Nashville Predators subject to whatever lease is in effect, and if, in fact, at some point the lease is terminated and he seeks to relocate the franchise, that is something that would have to be considered under the league’s constitution and bylaws at the time.

Q. Would you be concerned of the perception that it could be a foregone conclusion or a self-fulfilling prophecy that the franchise would be moved?
COMMISSIONER BETTMAN: That’s why I answered the question the way I did. I’m hoping to dispel the perception. If the attendance mark is satisfied, even if it’s not, if the city cures what would then be the default, this team is not going anywhere.
There is a lease, and sports leagues aren’t in the practice of letting teams violate their leases. I believe Mr. Balsillie understands that and it’s conceivable that this team will be in Nashville for as long as its lease, however long that may be.

Accordingly, it took a brave man to set foot in front of the assembled media hordes Monday and extol the virtue of the product that he was selling. That was commissioner Gary Bettman’s duty Monday and true to form, he stayed mostly on message — that while things were not perfect, the NHL’s challenges were “a mere fraction of what they were a few years ago.”
The most revealing moments came when Bettman talked about Canada and the possible return of the NHL north of the 49th parallel. Bettman essentially said the possibility of a return to the two markets that the NHL left in the 1990s — Winnipeg and Quebec — “intrigues me” and that while it isn’t something they’ve studied, “it seems to me more likely than it was two, three, four or five years ago.”

Listening in on the NHL media conference with Gary Bettman.
Raw blogging…
Nashville has a lease and if certain criteria is met, they will not be moving. Bettman believes Balsillie is aware of that.
No decision on Tocchet until he is sentenced in August.
We may see more teams opening up the season in Europe.
Talked about lack of media, Bettman states sports editors are cutting costs and the industry is covering games in a different manner these days.
Discussed playing more games in October, thereby ending the season a little earlier.
Dick Ebersol, head on NBC sports was there, chimed in NBC got “caught” with the Preakness games.

But there is still that nagging doubt, even though it’s a lot smaller than it used to be, concerning the Senators’ ability to get up off the canvas and deliver a knockout blow.
In every other area, though, they’re the superior team.
There are those who still keep insisting that goaltender Ray Emery is suspect. But there’s almost nothing to choose between the goals-against averages of Emery and Jean-Sebastien Giguere, and unlike Giguere, Emery actually makes some saves.
Giguere, with his inflated padding, simply slides back and forth across the crease like a goalie in a table hockey game and by virtue of his monstrous equipment, leaves the shooter with no view of the net. He’s not a goalie; he’s a human eclipse.

Q. Randy, have you guys been around long enough not to be nervous or is there some excitement, nerves, what is the feeling?
COACH RANDY CARLYLE: I think there’s always nerves. I think at this time of the year you can’t help but feel the emotions and nervousness that are associated with entering into the Stanley Cup Finals. I know it’s been well documented about how people react to these intense situations. And I don’t think as coaches you’re any different.

Q. Is that perhaps the biggest obstacle you face the first ten minutes of this game are settling them down?
COACH RANDY CARLYLE: I think in some ways, yes; some ways, no. I think both teams, with the amount of days rest that they’ve had, that there will have to be some sort of governor put on the emotional level.
I think it all bodes back to how well you start and what type of puck control that you can accomplish early. And that leads to hopefully some positives for your group.

Canadiens GM Bob Gainey announced Monday the signing of defenceman Andrei Markov to a four-year contract (2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11). As per club policy, financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
“Andrei Markov is one of our best players, and a huge part of our hockey team. We drafted and developed a player who has become an elite defenseman in the NHL. His desire to remain a member of the Canadiens’ organization was evident, and today we are very pleased to have a long-term agreement with Andrei,” said Bob Gainey.

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